The book is a poignant memoir reflecting on the transformative events and cultural atmosphere of Europe before World War I, through the interwar years and into the rise of the Nazis. It captures the author's experiences of growing up in a vibrant pre-war Vienna, the intellectual richness and artistic achievements of the time, as well as the profound sense of loss as the world he knew disintegrated into chaos and totalitarianism. With a mix of nostalgia and despair, the narrative serves as a lament for the lost world of European culture and as a warning about the fragility of peace and the human cost of war.

The book provides a comprehensive examination of the life and work of a prominent Austrian writer and his influence during a period of significant cultural and intellectual change in early 20th-century Europe. It delves into the writer's relationships with contemporaries, his contributions to literature and drama, and his role in the broader context of the modernist movement. The author critically assesses the writer's legacy, exploring the complexities of his artistic endeavors and the societal shifts that shaped his era, offering readers a detailed portrait of a man whose work encapsulated the spirit of his time.

"Fin-de-Siècle Vienna" is a collection of seven independent essays that explore the political, intellectual, and artistic life of Vienna at the end of the 19th century. The book delves into the dramatic cultural transformations that occurred during this period, including the rise of modernism, the influence of psychoanalysis, and the political turmoil that led to World War I. The author provides a detailed analysis of the works of key figures from this era, such as Gustav Klimt, Sigmund Freud, and Arnold Schoenberg, and discusses how their contributions reflected and shaped the social and political realities of the time.